ELEVEN PERISH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 3 September 1929, Page 5

ELEVEN PERISH

FIRE NEAR BIRMINGHAM BLOCK OF TENEMENTS DESTROYED. PITIFUL SCENES. [United Press Association—By Cable— Copyright.] (Australian and N.Z Press Association.) (Received 3, 8.55 a.m.) London, September 2. Fire early this morning gutted a block of tenements at Smethwick, near Birmingham. Eleven were killed, including a father, mother and four children named MacDonald, also three members of the Jones family and two of the Astons. One of the latter was a hopeless cripple. Three women jumped from a window and were seriously hurt. SHORTAGE OF WATER HINDERS FIREMEN. WOMEN JUMP FROM WINDOWS. [United Service.! (Received 3, 11.35 a.m.) London, September 2. Children, Clasped in the arms of parents, who were powerless to save them, were burned to death when firo destroyed two shops and houses at Smethwick. The MacDonalds were all apparently overcome by fumes while asleep. A shortage of water owing to the main bursting, handicapped the firemen. Meanwhile the pitiful screams of the trapped sufferers on the upper floors were heard above th© roar of the flames. The spectators were horrified to sec women jump from the windows. One, jumping from the fourth floor, struck the pavement, and died. All the eleven bodies recovered were unrecognisable